I sat back in my chair.
The amount on the transfer was large enough to change a family’s future.
“Does your mother know why he took the money?”
Jake shook his head.
“She thinks he used it to save one of his first development projects. He was in serious financial trouble back then. If the project failed, he could have lost everything.”
I stared at the letter again.
Suddenly, memories began returning.
Tom’s stories about his early career.
The risks he had taken.
The way he sometimes described success as something that could disappear overnight.
I had always admired his determination.
I had never considered what he might have sacrificed to achieve it.
“Does your mother have the original documents?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“And why is she telling you now?”
Jake hesitated.
“Because she wants me to confront him.”
I looked at him in disbelief.
“You’re eighteen. This is a serious financial matter involving your mother and your uncle.”
